


Borrowed, Not Stolen

by mchotstufff



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Flower AU, Flowers, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Minor Character Death, Sad, Sad with a Happy Ending, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 06:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11594388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mchotstufff/pseuds/mchotstufff
Summary: Two times Alec Lightwood steal flowers from a strangers, and one time he gets caught for it.





	Borrowed, Not Stolen

**Author's Note:**

> Flowers AU

At first, it was an accident. He was already in half of the journey when he realized he had forgotten to stop by Meliorn’s Blossoms for flowers. The next plausible option would have been to walk another five blocks out of the way to the next best shop - but then that would put his whole day out of schedule.

Thus the next option: stealing.

It wasn’t really stealing per se, but more of a prolonged borrowing in which eventually he would pay them back. At least that’s what Alec though to feel a little better about himself. 

He had meant no harm at first. He just meant to grab something - anything - to make sure that he just didn’t show up empty handed. 

One day, he swore. This will be a one day, one time sort of thing. 

He randomly picked the bunch of daisies by the mail box. They looked a little more on the wild sides of growth, but tended to nonetheless. Perfect, he thought.

The next time Alec found himself walking past the same house, he couldn’t help feel guilty. Even though it had been exactly a week since then.

  

Another week passed and Alec found himself in a similar position. The week had taken a plummet, thus sending himself into a horrible tailspin. Alec was trying his best and only found himself digging deeper and deeper. He couldn’t even find the time to stop and buy any flowers. Now he found himself standing at the end of the walkway of the house staring at the abundance of flowers ready to be taken.

He couldn’t stay long, he kept telling himself. The owner could be back. They could catch him red-handed. So Alec just closed his eyes, reached out and found himself holding healthy violets. He made sure to clean up before disappearing down the street again, with a hidden pair of eyes following after.

The third time, he stood there feeling better than the week before.The stress of the work load was lifted from his chest,but there was still the guilt of stealing yet again solely because it felt so much lighter than buying off of the street. These were each cared for; watered, handled with love. And that’s exactly what he deserved.

Alec stilled, immediately drawn to the bundles of Forget Me Nots by the bottom steps of the house. They were so gloriously blue. And alive. 

Blue was his favorite color, he thought as he pulled the base of the stem clean off.

“Is there a particular reason to why you’re grazing my garden?” A sudden voice came from the house. 

Alec jumped, startled and turning multiple shades of red all within a fraction of a second. He could try and talk his way out of it, but then again he was never really good around people. So he stood there, like a gaping fish, staring at the man who caught him red-handed.

I’m dead. I’m dead. I’mdeadI’mdeadI’mdeadI’mdead.

“I surely hope it’s for something more than just sitting around on a table, but then again I won’t judge,” the man continued, arms crossed and body leaning against the door frame.

“I… uh…” he stammered.

The man quirked an eyebrow. “Flowers?” he pointed.

It took him a moment, but eventually Alec regained his speech. “No,” he finally replied. “They’re not for a table..”

“A person then?” The man offered. 

Alec could only nod. 

“A girl?” He shook his head.

“A boy?” A nod.

“Well then…” The man clapped his hands together. “I must meet this boy and see if he is worthy of warranting flower theft, don’t you think?”

Alec couldn’t tell if there was more color in his face or more color running from it. He could feel both excruciatingly hot and unbearable cold at the same time. The only thing he could feel was the weight of the world on his shoulders and the painful truth stabbing at his heart. Yet, he knew this man would not back down and certainly could make him feel even worse than he did right now.

“Fine,” he squeaked. “Follow me.”

The man didn’t object. Rather, he grabbed his coat and locked the door before catching up to the tall man, looking up rather expectantly as if Alec was going to spill the who, where, and why’s of this whole predicament. But he soon found the next few moments full of silence. 

“So lover boy, what’s your name?” the man eventually asked.

“Alec. Just Alec.” He tried to look anywhere else but the man. The floor. His feet. The flowers.

The man smirked. “It’s certainly nice to meet you, Just Alec. Under better circumstances, of course.”

Alec couldn’t answer. His fingers aimlessly played with the petals of one of the flowers, wishing he could be anywhere else but right there and then with that strange man who wanted to tag along to find out who the “pretty boy” was.

He’s going to be crushed, he thought. Utterly and devastatingly crushed.

“Magnus Bane,” the man offered in exchange to lighten the mood.

Alec jerked at the attention. “What?”

“My name. Magnus Bane, flower extraordinaire.”

Alec’s lips cracked into a small smile. “I really am sorry about that.”

Magnus waved it off, stuffing his hands back into his pockets leisurely. “It’s no big deal. They’re just flowers.”

They’re just flowers, the thought echoed. They’re just flowers.

But they’re not just flowers.

Alec nodded in his numb state. They were nearly a block away, and he still didn’t know how to tell him the truth. 

Magnus’ voice cracked through his thoughts. “So what can you tell me about this other boy? What’s his name? Is he cute? Does he have an equally cute, potentially stunning brother? Sister? What about...” His questions kept rambling on and on until the man and his word’s came to a slow stop at the sight of the entrance before them.

It was hard to miss. And Alec was holding the rustic gates open, surely claiming that this indeed was their destination. The ivy had taken over the area, though the same couldn’t be said about the flowers - which could certainly use some maintenance or just a little bit of loving. Teh ivy had spread to either side of the gate where two brick pillars stood tall , both with gilded angels holding the overarching name plate.

Silent City Cemetery

“You can wait out here, if you would like,” Alec offered finally, heart and mind screaming.

Magnus shook his head. In a soft voice, he stepped forward and said, “I’d still like to meet this mystery boy of yours. If you’ll have me.” Alec nodded and waited for the other man.

The two walked together through the various graves and monuments of other’s loved ones - their spots, too, remembered and graced with an abundance of flowers and memories. Magnus couldn’t help but wonder how long Alec had been coming here; how much time he spent every week to come and remember.

He nearly ran into the back side of Alec when he came to an abrupt stop.

Alec nervously cleared his throat, the sudden burning sensation never leaving his eyes for some reason. “Magnus,” he said, hoping the cracks in his voice stayed somewhat unknown. “I’d like you to meet Max.”

He took his time. Taking a deep, shaky breath before continuing, “Max, I’d like you to meet Magnus. He loves flowers too.”

Magnus couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him: a grown man, so hopelessly wrecked and broken and willing to do so in front of a complete stranger. He drew his eyes upwards towards the hand resting on top of the marker to find the answer to all of his questions.

Max was his brother.

“You were right, Alec,” Magnus said slowly. “He is definitely worth all of the flowers.”

And so much more.

**Author's Note:**

> Choices of flowers:  
> Daisies for Loyal Love  
> Violets for Loyalty  
> Forget Me Nots for True Love and Remembrance
> 
>  
> 
> Update: My tumblr for all things writing ideas, updates and potential art is http://endlesstalesofwonder.tumblr.com/


End file.
